Child Family Health International

Spanish immersion in Quito

Submitted by Jacqulyne Sylvia - AT Still University | April 28, 2018

I had a wonderful experience working with CFHI. I went abroad to Ecuador for 1 month doing a Spanish immersion program. I really enjoyed my clinical experience as I know many of the other students did as well. They were very flexible making sure that our clinical experience met our needs and expectations. The Spanish classes were also very helpful. For the first two weeks we were at a foundation for children with cerebral palsy and this was so amazing. We thought we would be just playing with the kids and feeding them but it turns out that much of the staff and kids needed general physicals so we had the opportunity to help with that. The doctors there are great teachers and we learned so much. The healthcare system is of course much different and it is great to have some many patient people willing to teach. I would definitely recommend this program to students looking to study abroad!

Program: Urban and Rural Comparative Health, Ecuador

Hospitals and safaris

Submitted by Elizabeth - philadelphia college of osteopathic medicine | April 28, 2018

My month completing CFHI’s Child and Social Determinants of Health program in Accra, Ghana moved so quickly, as it was filled with so many exciting moments both in the clinic and in the country. Not only did I expand my knowledge on a medical level but on a cultural level as well. From seeing elephants 10 feet away while on safari to observing the biggest umbilical hernia I have ever seen, there has not been a dull moment. Reflecting back, I have learned so much that I believe will make me not only a better doctor, but a better person as well. Although Ghana is a developing country, it is humbling to be in a place with fewer resources than the US and see how other people live around the world. It was also an important learning experience to meet people in a nation that was colonized and whose people suffered terrible injustices.

This experience has improved my medical knowledge and will remain a formative part of my medical education. The prevelance of certain diseases is very different in Ghana compared to US, so I was able to see and learn about a number of pathologies that are less common at home. So many important public health programs are in their infancy here in Ghana. I believe it is helpful to see how systems and resources develop overtime and to understand what they came from. I also learned about the power of patient education. No matter how many medications you provide or the number of times you see a patient, teaching parents why these things are important is the only long term way to improve the health of a child. From HIV management to the prevention of malnutrition, money may be a barrier to improved health but the ultimate challenge is due to a lack of education. This emphasizes the importance of doctors working hand in hand with the entire medical community, social work and public health to educate patients. Overall, this was an amazing and humbling learning experience that I would recommend to all!

Program: Child Health & Social Determinants

CFHI: public health & community medicine in New Delhi, India

Submitted by John Lee - Anderson University | February 25, 2018

It’s interesting how I entered into CFHI’s Public Health and Community Medicine program in New Delhi with a number of assumptions, both concerning study abroad programs and the country of India. At the end of the program, however, I stood corrected. CFHI’s sweet yet concise motto states, “Let the world change you”, and how appropriate. The two-week intensive program provided me with both an educational and cultural understanding of the public health system and in the context of India’s vibrant and dynamic culture. Given the nature of short-term study abroad programs, CFHI allowed me the opportunity and the means to delve into the most challenging issues that exist concerning global medicine, and in a professional and ethical, but above all, meaningful approach. As a young and aspiring pre-medical student, I can state with much confidence that I have been changed.

Program: Intensive: 2- week Public Health & Community Medicine

From rainforest to coast

Submitted by cfhireviewer - University of Wisconsin-Madison | January 14, 2018

This past fall, I spent 6 weeks in Ecuador through CFHI’s Coast to Rainforest: Community Health program. I loved the comparative nature of this program in that I was able to shadow in clinics in Guayaquil, Puyo, and Quito. Every week was different in terms of the size of the clinic/hospital and the types of patients I was interacting with. I had the chance to provide education about mosquito-borne diseases like Dengue and Zika in a community in Guayaquil through the SNEM program. In Puyo, I was able to learn more about rural and indigenous health as well. One of the unique components of this experience was visiting the San Virgilio indigenous community in the Amazon. They were so welcoming and happy to share their culture and knowledge of medicinal plants with us.
Overall CFHI takes a lot of care into putting together a program that fits your interests and time. Both the local and main staff in the US are incredibly helpful and attentive when any problem arises while you are abroad. In addition, CFHI’s dedication to ethical global health programs is evident in both the training provided to students before leaving and the close interaction with community members and local health care providers abroad. This program is a great opportunity to learn more about healthcare in South America, meet new people, and experience a new culture.

Program: Amazon Community and Indigenous Health, Ecuador

Great experience and love the environment

Submitted by Marco Velarde - St. George's University School of Medicine | January 06, 2018

The first day of arrival was exciting yet overwhelming. Arriving at 5 am, I was worried I would have no way to get to my homestay. Yet I am glad that the program coordinators had arranged a pick-up time from the airport to a hostel until later in the morning. Charly (local coordinator) picked me up and took me to my homestay where my hostess was wonderful and a source of information of the city. Getting lost in the city was intimidating but Carlos (program coordinator) and Charly make the transition easier and educated us in the culture, language, what and where to eat, our schedules, and hospital location and rotations. Truly well organized and made the transition much easier.

I was assigned to Cordoba hospital and I chose the burn unit because it uses different specialties such as dermatology, and post-op care to treat and manage a burned patient. Dr. Olmos showed me around and taught me many things she felt were important in the recovery room. I can tell that the physicians I interacted with had a personal connection with patients and spoke to them like family. Everyday, majority of patients and doctors pass by a hallway that has the words written in Spanish "No perder la humalidad" meaning "do not lose your humanity" and the words do inspire providers to do their best for their patient's best interest in managing care. Overall, it was a truly humbling experience, and yet two weeks in Cordoba was not enough and I yearned to stay longer. Knowing the Spanish language does help and being able to communicate with others is amazing. I could never speak in Spanish with anyone other than my family and speaking my mother tongue felt great. I thank CFHI commitment and mission for helping me participate in this wonderful journey.

CFHI's official facebook page can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/ChildFamilyHealthInternational/

Program: Intensive: 2-Week Hospital Medicine in Latin America